


The Kiss

by TrekTraveler



Series: The Samantha MacKade Chronicles [6]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Angst, F/M, Romance, Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:15:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25779553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrekTraveler/pseuds/TrekTraveler
Summary: When Sam and Julian finally give in to what has been building between them, it doesn't go smoothly.  Desperate, they turn to their friends for help.  Everyone has an opinion and everyone has advice.  Will they find their way back to each other?
Relationships: Julian Bashir/Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Samantha MacKade Chronicles [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1616893
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	1. The Major Knows Best

Major Kira Nerys sat at a small table in the Replimat sipping on her double strong raktajino. She sighed impatiently at the woman next to her, “Exactly what is it I am supposed to be looking at?”

“Just wait a few more minutes,” Jadzia said, craning her neck to scan the people passing by, “He always stops by this time of day.”

“Dax, this is ridiculous. This is a cafeteria not one of your Klingon operas.”

“Today its both… oh! Here he comes!” Jadzia whispered excitedly, “Now don’t stare, just be casual.”

Kira hid a smirk behind her cup, “I’m guessing none of your previous hosts ever worked reconnaissance.” 

Dax smacked her lightly on the arm, “Shh!”

Both women fell silent as Doctor Julian Bashir strode into the Replimat. He was looking a little more gangly than usual. Gone was the easy smile of the naive young man who first bounded onto the station in search of adventures in frontier medicine. Now he bore the weight of his experience, both good and bad. He didn’t take notice of anyone as he made a b-line for the nearest replicator. He punched in his order and took the steaming mug of Tarkalean tea that appeared seconds later. When he turned around, he froze in his tracks, his gaze locked with the woman seated at a far table.

Samantha MacKade sat motionless, staring into eyes that once held warmth and humor now reflected hurt. He simply stood there for a long moment, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat giving her hope that he would say something this time. Instead, he inclined his head to her in acknowledgement and walked out of the Replimat as quickly as his long legs would take him. Shoving down the sadness that welled up from her heart, she turned her attention back to her mug of long cold tea.

Kira was confused, “What the hell just happened?”

“See? I told you, this has been going on for weeks.”

“I don’t get it,” Kira said with a shake of her head, “They are obviously crazy about each other.”

Jadzia shrugged, “Well, they’re crazy anyway.”

“He likes her, she likes him. What are they waiting for?!”

“Something happened,” Jadzia replied in a conspiratorial tone, “I’m not sure what, but neither of them are talking about it. It must have been big. I mean, you’ve seen them, they used to spend all kinds of time together now they don’t even speak.”

“That’s ridiculous. I’m going over there,” Kira announced as she stood. Mug in hand, she marched towards MacKade’s table.

Alarmed, Dax hurried after the major, “Kira no! Wait… Nerys!!”

“Mind if we join you?” Kira asked, already sitting down at Sam’s table.

Sam’s head darted up and she blinked in surprise, “Ah, no! Not at all. Sorry, I didn’t even see you two were in here.”

Jadzia brought a chair over from a vacant table and joined in, “You look a little distracted.”

“Oh, yeah I suppose I am,” Sam sighed, gesturing to the tower of data PADDs on the table, “The latest bio-scans from the wormhole.”

“Here I thought you were moping around over Doctor Bashir,” Kira said not missing a beat.

Sam sputtered, “Excuse me?”

Jadzia elbowed the major, “Kira!”

“What? You said they’ve been miserable for weeks.”

“I am not miserable!” Sam objected.

“You do look a little miserable,” Dax winced in apology.

“Well if I am miserable, then that’s my business!”

“I say you march into that Infirmary and talk to him,” said Kira in her typical straightforward manner, “The two of you are already depressed, how much worse can it get?”

When Sam didn’t answer, Jadzia reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “What happened? You and Julian were getting really close, I thought maybe…”

“No,” she answered with a quick shake of her head, “He wanted to and I… well I don’t know what I wanted, but I hurt him. I didn’t mean to, but I did. I don’t know how to fix it, I’m not even sure I should fix it.”

“It happened two weeks ago,” Sam said with a sigh as she recounted the events that changed everything.

“You are going to love this program,” Julian said with a grin as they entered the Holosuite. Several weeks had passed since the Bajoran funeral and life had settled back into a normal routine. As normal as it can be in a place like Deep Space Nine anyway. Aside from the odd plasma leak and airborne hallucinogenic parasite, life had been relatively quiet. Quiet enough for the two of them to slip away and try out his new Vulcan Holosuite program and have a little fun!

“The entire Kurat mountain range has been precisely recreated to how it was during the Winter of a Thousand Years. The snowfall was perfect for skiing.”

Sam was suitably outfitted in a slim, thermal snowsuit of quilted ivory with silver piping. A foil to Julian in black and gold. She adjusted mirrored goggles over her eyes, pulling her long ponytail through so it could swing freely, “It always amazed me that Vulcan had snow at all, even if it was only for one week every seven years.”

A thick blanket of powder-fine snow with a slight tinge of light blue covered the ground. It was a stark contrast to the harsh, red landscape of the Vulcan lowlands in the distance. 

Julian joined her in admiring the view, “Its like fire and ice. Fantastic!”

“Beautiful,” she agreed, kneeling to tighten her boots. “Have you been skiing before?”

“Oh yes, a group of us from Starfleet Medical would take day trips to Telluride,” he explained surveying the alien landscape, “Nothing like a fresh dusting of powder to clear your head. I got quite good by graduation. How about you?”

“Actually, my first ski trip was on Vulcan, Mount Tarhana.”

“Really? Was that with Ambassador Spock?” Julian asked, always curious about that part of her life.

She nodded with a reminiscent smile, “Yeah. Although he wasn’t an ambassador then. Spock was always going on about how the texture of Vulcan snow was perfect for sport. So a group of us went as part of a shore leave excursion.”

“Mount Tarhana isn’t exactly a beginner’s slope.”

“Don’t I know it. I came barreling down the mountain at full speed,” she shook her head, “Never mind that I had never been to Vulcan, never experienced its higher gravity or thinner atmosphere… I just went all in like I always do. Didn’t realize that they had pulled off the trail to admire the view.”

“You blew past them?” he guessed.

“I crashed into them. You should have seen the look on Spock’s face!” She laughed, “Jim was laughing so hard he couldn’t even stand up straight.”

Julian laughed along with her, “Sounds like another fine misadventure.”

The pair set off down the path, fine particles of ice blue snow flew up around them as they raced down the mountain, making the crisp air sparkle in the sunlight. 

Sam had obviously improved her technique since that first trip to Vulcan because she easily kept up with the doctor. They explored several ski trails over the course of the afternoon. 

Julian came to a gentle stop where the last trail veered off to a scenic view point. 

Sam came up just behind him, “Why did you stop? Need a break?”

Julian checked his watch, “Nope, there is a solar flare due in a couple of minutes.” He held out a hand to her, “Come on.”

Sam bent down and touched a button on her right boot, causing the skis to release. Taking his hand she followed him out onto a wide ledge that over looked the valley below.

A harsh landscape of deep red and orange proved a jarring contrast to the cooling whites and blues they had been emerged in all day. What had been molten fields of lava and volatile volcanoes eons ago now cooled and hardened into jagged cliffs with rivers of lava cutting valleys.

“Wow,” Sam breathed, “Its like the Grand Canyon seen through the eyes of Tolkien.”

“Beautiful,” Julian agreed. “I always thought it was such a contradiction that the Vulcan people so logical and unflappable come from such a volatile environment.”

“It wasn’t always so calm and logical, in a lot of ways their past in more violent than ours,” Sam pointed out, “Spock would be the first to tell you they still feel everything, they just chose not to express it.”

“That must be torture,” Julian murmured, then pointed out in the distance, “I think you can see the Kir Temple from here.”

As Sam leaned forward to get a better look, one of the lava pools below the edge bubbled up with great force causing a burst of thick steam to shoot up towards them. Startled, Sam jumped and stumbled, nearly losing her balance.

Julian’s lightening fast reflexes kicked in, he grabbed hold of Sam’s hand and yanked her away from the edge causing her to crash into his chest. His hands settled on her shoulders as he chuckled, “Steady on… are you alright?”

A slightly nervous laugh bubbled up from her throat, “This is a very good program, made me forget all about the Holosuite safeties.”

The unspoken rules of platonic friendship dictated that Julian should release her, but he found himself unable to do so. He wanted to keep her here, in his arms forever. She looked up at him with those remarkable eyes that he had come to know so well, filled with trust and wonder and just a hint of promise. Her cheeks flushed a pretty pink to match the color of her lips and Julian couldn’t think of another woman who looked half as beautiful as Samantha MacKade did in that very moment. Powerless against his own curiosity and yearning, he reached out and caressed her cheek with the back of his knuckles. “Samantha…”

Sam was transfixed. Unable to move or form a thought. The sensible woman who always popped up in her head to save her from compromising positions like this was strangely absent. All she was aware of was Julian. The solid wall of chest under her hands, the hint of sandalwood and soap that was unique to him. His dark eyes bore into hers reflecting a desire she felt building deep in her belly. He spoke her name and it was as if she were hearing it for the first time. Like a prayer and a question and a promise all in one.

The brush of his lips over hers was excruciatingly tender, slow at first and sent tingles racing down her spine. Exploring, savoring then quickly deepened.

In the back of his mind, Julian knew he should stop, he’d crossed the line. But that thought dissolved into nothing when Sam began kissing him in return. She matched his pace, opening for him like a flower seeking the sun.

When they finally pulled apart, Sam looked at him wordlessly, bewilderment clear on her face and Julian was awash with guilt. For all their closeness, Sam had been clear about the nature of their relationship and he had just gone and disregarded it.

He was already forming an apology when Sam closed the little distance between them by grabbing hold of his jacket and crushing her mouth to his. She molded her body to his, wrapped her arms up around Julian’s neck, her fingers tangled in his hair. She kissed him with a passionate ferocity that he had never experienced before. His hand splayed the small of her back, he drank her in like a man dying of thirst. 

Then, with the same urgency that she had just ravaged him, she pushed away. They stood, each panting, left breathless by the encounter. The potent desire still between them hung in the air.   
Sam stared at him for a long moment, not trusting herself to say anything. At last, she found the strength to turn away, “Computer, exit program.”

Julian caught the mix of sadness and panic in her eyes just before she ran from the Holosuite. He quickly followed her through the archway into the real world. Quark’s bar was packed full of people. Julian scanned the crowd, easily picking out Sam like a beacon of light, still in her white snowsuit. She was fast, already halfway to the Promenade. 

Julian pushed his way through the throngs of patrons until he caught up with her, “Sam, wait.”

When she continued on her way, he grabbed hold of her elbow, “Sam, stop!”

Reluctantly she turned to face him, her eyes a storm of emotions, “I have to go…”

“You can’t run away,” he told her, his voice pleading.

“Yes I can,” she insisted, pulling herself free of him, “I can run forever, you’ve seen me!”

Julian moved towards her but stopped when she stepped backwards to maintain the distance between them. He froze then, unsure and desperate. “Please.”

“I can run until the stars burn out and beyond,” she returned, her voice catching on a sob, “Just watch me.”

The pair stood facing each other, oblivious to the many people around them who had taken interest in the exchange. 

Julian knew it was a risk, but feeling his heart was already laid bare, what did he really have to lose?

“Samantha, will you have dinner with me tonight?”

He had to ask, damn him! Why can’t he just let me go?!

Ever since the first day she met Julian Bashir, he invited her to dinner. Quite doggedly at first, nearly every time they crossed paths, he would ask the question. 

Her response was always the same, “Ask me again sometime.”

Neither yes or no. It became a game after a time, a flirt. But this was no game, not this time. This was for keeps. He had only asked her a couple of times since their friendship had truly bloomed. It had been his way of checking the status quo. And he always seemed satisfied with the results.

Now there was so much more at stake. He stood valiantly before her; tall and true, devastatingly handsome, unfailingly kind. What the hell is wrong with me?  
“Ask me again sometime.”

To his credit, Julian kept his face a careful mask of neural acceptance, but his eyes carried heartbreak.

When he turned and walked away with out a word, tears stung Sam’s eyes although she refused to let them fall. “Damn it,” she muttered before setting off in the opposite direction, pushing past onlookers.

When Sam finished her tale, she took a long drink of tea, wishing for something stronger. It took her a minute to work up the courage to look her friends in the eye. Confessing cowardice was never easy, especially not to women as strong as Kira and Dax. They would no doubt have handled things with a great deal more grace than she did.

Jadzia and Kira exchanged a glance and Sam couldn’t stand their silence for another minute, “What?”

It was Kira who answered, “What the hell is the matter with you?!”

Sam groaned and dropped her head to her hands on the table, “I don’t know!”

“Let me see if I’ve got this straight… he likes you; you like him. He kisses you; you kiss him back and your response is to run away?” Kira asked incredulously.

Sam’s answer was muffled by the tabletop, “Yes. I ran away.”

Kira looked to Dax, “Is this some sort of bizarre Human mating ritual I’m not aware of?”

“Its complicated, Kira,” Dax replied, trying to maintain her understanding.

“How complicated can it be? Bashir isn’t that bad of a kisser,” Kira muttered.

Sam’s head shot up at that, “What does that mean?”

“Oh it was ages ago… side effect of Zanthi fever,” Kira waved a dismissive hand, “Still, I thought he was a very good kisser.”

“I definitely agree,” Jadzia put in with a tell-tale grin. When Sam’s eyes widened and her mouth hung open, the Trill held up her hands in innocence, “Holosuite transporter accident.”

“Oh! I forgot about the Holosuite!” Kira said with a reminiscent sigh, “That was a good one.”

Sam shook her head, “I don’t believe this… does the man go around kissing every woman on this station?!”

Kira shrugged, “Well, not so much anymore.”

“Not since you came along,” Dax amended.

The major gave Sam a hard, speculative look, “Besides, why would you care? You ran away.”

Sam dropped her gaze to her hands, “I know, I know. I owe him better than that.”

Always the voice of reason and compassion, Jadzia reached out to squeeze her hand, “Why did you run?”

Sam’s answer was simple, “Because he terrifies me.”

“Because you love him?” Dax softly asked.

“Yes, damn it… yes! I love him!” Sam hissed in frustration, “And I hate it! I hate everything about it. It makes me weak and vulnerable when I need to be strong. That war with the Dominion is coming. I need focus, not the distraction of romantic entanglement.”

Kira regarded her with eyes that seemed far too old to be set in such a youthful face, “Love does not make you weak. Not ever and certainly not during a war. Love is a gift sent to us from the Prophets. It makes life worth living.”

“And when we lose that love, what then?” Sam challenged, “Is it not easier to go it alone? To devote yourself to your cause without potential diversions? Without the heartbreak?” 

“Easier maybe,” Jadzia replied, “But hardly worth it. Take it from me, I’ve loved and lost through eight lifetimes. Besides, you are Sam MacKade, doing things the easy way just isn’t your style.”

Kira could see the conflict on Sam’s face. They had so much in common, at times it was almost like talking to herself. Both held up tough exteriors to protect their vulnerabilities from the outside world. What advice would she give her younger self if she could? 

“You have never backed down from anything in your whole life; not the Borg, not the Dominion, not being lost in time, yet Julian Bashir sends you running for the hills!” Kira scoffed, “You are willing to fight for any cause you find worthy, but not that one? If you really came to DS9 to fight the Dominion then ask yourself this… if you deny yourself love, then what sort of a life are you really fighting for in the first place?”


	2. Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julian gets some sound advice from the O'Briens.

Julian sat at the table in the O’Brien’s quarters, he had accepted their invitation for dinner three times already this week and a fourth time was looking likely. Ever since that ill-fated kiss in the Holosuite, he had steered clear of Samantha leaving himself with lots of unoccupied social time to fill. Always true blue, Miles made sure to extend as many offers as he could to the young doctor. At this point, the two men were more family than friends and Miles Edward O’Brien wasn’t about to let the man he loved like a brother sort out his heartache alone.

The Chief sat down next to the dejected Bashir and handed him a glass of warm sake that would pair nicely with the old family recipe Keiko was preparing. “Here, you look like you could use it.”

Startled out of his melancholy thoughts, Julian accepted the glass with a nod, “Thanks, chief.”

“You look terrible,” O’Brien stated in his customary brogue. 

“Thanks, chief,” Julian repeated with sarcasm.

“I take it you haven’t talked to her?”

“I saw her in the Replimat the other day but… no.” Julian shook his head and took a sip of sake, “I can’t stop thinking about it, about her. I just don’t understand it, I thought she changed her mind, that she felt as I did… all the signals were there, I wouldn’t have misread them.”

Miles sighed; the doctor had repeated the same thing for days now. “You’re obsessing.”

Julian ran a hand over his face, trying to shake it off, “I know, I know. I can’t help it. We’ve grown so close these last few months, I thought…”

“Julian, you’ve asked her to dinner how many times and she has always said no,” Miles gently pointed out, “I’ve known MacKade for a long time, once her mind is set on something she tends to stick to it.”

“I shouldn’t have pressed my luck, I know. It was different this time,” Julian insisted, “I thought she had gotten past the fear.”

“The fear?” Miles repeated with a frown, “What do you mean?”

“She said that love brings loss.”

The chief mulled that over, “Hmm, well I suppose for her it does.”

“Every time she gets close to someone, she loses them,” Julian said, repeating what Sam had told him in the Infirmary that night, “Being here on DS9 with war brewing, being a Starfleet officer is dangerous, risky and therefore its fool-hardy to even attempt a relationship.”

Irony lit the Irishman’s eyes as he recalled that conversation from long-ago on T’Lani, “Ah, now where have I heard that before?”

“I was wrong,” Julian said with conviction, “You were right, but I didn’t see it until I met her.” 

Miles studied his friend’s face and it struck him that this was no mere infatuation, as so many of Julian’s conquests were. “Are you saying, you’re in love with her?”

Julian studied the glass in his hands, “Yes… I think I am.”

“You’ve been in love before,” Miles reminded him, “With that ballerina.”

“With Palis.” An image of a willowy blonde flashed in his mind, although the usual pangs of regret that usually accompanied that face did not. He sighed, “I did love her. I thought she was perfect, but in the end, she wasn’t perfect for me.”

O’Brien downed the rest of his sake, “You didn’t want to give up your dream of Starfleet.”

“She should have been a part of that dream,” reasoned Julian, “If I were really in love, my vision of the future would have included her, but it didn’t. This is different, Miles. I can’t imagine my life without Samantha MacKade being a part of it. I need her.”

Miles was humbled, as he always was, by Julian’s ability to bare his heart. He really was the finest man he knew, and although he held a high opinion of MacKade, she obviously needed to get her head examined. “You may have to accept that she will only be in your life as a friend and nothing more.”

“I know. And I can accept that if I must. If that is what it takes, I can do it.” Julian let out a heavy sigh, “So long as she doesn’t kiss me again, a man only has so much resolve.”

Keiko entered the room with a large platter in her hands. She had only heard part of their conversation, but the doctor’s last statement stopped her in her tracks, “Did you say she kissed you?”

“Yes, quite passionately actually,” Julian said, filling their glasses with sake, “Of course, I kissed her first, but yes. She did.”

Keiko put the platter in the middle of the table and sat by the doctor’s side, “Listen to me Julian; Miles may have known Sam for a long time but so have I. Be patient, she will come around.”

Julian perked up for the first time in days, “You really think so?”

Keiko nodded emphatically, “I do.”

“The woman said no,” Miles protested.

His wife shook her head, “Miles, I love you, but romance is not exactly your strong suit.”

The chief frowned, “I can be romantic when the situation calls for it!”

She gave him a pat on the shoulder before turning back to the doctor, “Be patient and be true. It won’t be easy but if you give her a chance, she may surprise you.”

Julian nodded; a smile spread across his features as the shadow clouding his heart lifted. Hope gradually filled the place where doubt had lived for far too long. He could be a patient man, a very patient man. If he had something worth waiting for.

It was only a few days later when Julian entered Quark’s with a box tucked under his arm. He had taken Keiko’s advice and happily gone about his business. His jovial mood evident in his easy gait and open smile. He did not seek out Samantha intentionally, but instead gave her plenty of space. He saw her in passing nearly every day and when he did, he waved happily and flashed her a wide grin. The perplexed look that crossed her face every time only amused the doctor more. He was driving her crazy and he knew it. 

Now as he stood in the busy bar, he scanned the room and saw her seated at the table towards the back. Most of the senior staff was there as well, all of them engaged in an animated conversation. Sure of his mission, he wove his way through the crowd until he was standing directly in front of her.

The conversation abruptly stalled and when Sam looked up, her eyes widened in surprise, “Julian.”

He smiled warmly, “I hope I’m not interrupting.”

Sam’s throat went dry and when she failed to answer, Jadzia did instead, “No, please join us!”

“Oh, no thank you, I can’t stay. I just came to deliver this,” he replied, setting the package in front of the bewildered MacKade.

Sam stared at the silver box topped with a bright, blue bow. Her brows drew together in confusion, “What’s this?”

“A surprise,” he said smoothly, “I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening.”

Utterly baffled, Sam watched the doctor walk away before examining the brightly wrapped box. She hesitated for a moment before giving in to curiosity. She removed the lid with ease and reached past the stuffing inside to pull out the contents. 

Unbelievably, Sam stared down at the jar of peanut butter in her hands.

Sisko broke the silence at the table, concerned by the stricken look on Sam’s face. “MacKade? Are you alright?”

Without a word, Sam jumped out of her chair and sprinted past stunned patrons. She chased after Julian with the jar held tightly in her hands.

Jadzia took a sip of Synthale, “Yup, she’s fine.”

Sam pushed through the crowd of people, desperate to catch up to him. Seeing his tall, lean form a few feet ahead of her she shouted his name, “Bashir!”

Julian turned around to see people parting like the Red Sea, giving wide berth to the fired up woman marching straight for him.

“Hold it,” she commanded, coming to stand in front of him, “Hold it right there! What the hell is this?”

Julian’s gaze flickered from the jar to Sam’s face, “It’s a jar of peanut butter.”

“I know that!” she snapped, not remotely amused by his smart reply. “I mean, how is it here?”

“I had it delivered,” he stated simply.

Sam shook her head vehemently, “Uh huh. No way. This is the only company left that produces peanut butter and they are so small that they don’t even ship out of state let alone off world. It can’t be replicated or transported because if some fluke with the molecular structure, so I’ll ask again. How?”

“I have some friends,” he started.

“Some friends?”

“A hodgepodge really,” he explained, thoroughly enjoying the confused look on her face, “Call it a network.”

“A network,” Sam repeated. “So what? One of your buddies brought this jar from Earth, flew it part of the way, handed it off to another one of your friends and so on until it eventually arrived at the station?”

Julian grinned widely and nodded, obviously pleased with himself.

Sam couldn’t believe what she was hearing, “But from Earth to Deep Space Nine, that would take forever!”

“Oh, not forever,” Julian corrected, “Just five and a half months.”

“Five and a half months?!” Sam gaped at him, “For a jar of peanut butter? You ridiculous man! Why would you do that?!”

“Because I thought you would like it.”

Sam’s mouth snapped shut and she stared at him wide eyed.

“Do you like it?” At her wordless nod, he smiled, “Good.”

It wasn’t often that Samantha MacKade found herself at a loss for words, but in that moment that stretched out between them, no words seemed adequate. 

When he turned to walk away again, she finally found her voice along with her courage, “Julian, wait.”

Facing Sam this time, he could see the dam breaking behind those green eyes. The walls she had so carefully constructed, were tumbling down brick by brick.

“Ask me again… now! I mean,” Sam cursed herself for the desperation that edged into her voice. Taking a deep breath, she tried again, “Ask me now.”

Julian closed the distance between them, happy to comply, “Samantha, will you have dinner with me?”

“Yes,” she said quickly, almost before he could finish asking the question.

“Tomorrow night?”

“Yes.”

“Seven o’clock?”

“Yes.”

“The Klingon restaurant?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll meet you there.”

“Yes.”

“Alright,” he smiled.

“Alright,” she repeated, gathering up her composure. Still amazed at what had just occurred, Sam turned and walked away, the jar still held tightly against her. In a daze, she didn’t notice the amused faces of her friends and colleagues that had gathered to watch the exchange.

Julian watched her wander away and when she paused to glance back over her shoulder, he gave her a dazzling grin causing her to blush furiously.

Distracted, Sam stumbled and tripped over he own feet. Catching herself, she squared her shoulders and continued on. “Not a word,” she warned her friends as she sailed past.


	3. The Dinner Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With no emergencies, disasters, or angst Sam and Julian actually succeed in going on a date. And with a successful dates comes the inevitable end. This chapter has a consensual sex scene and is the reason for the Mature rating for this story. Its great... ;) These two characters deserve a little fun and a bit of a payoff, so here we go!!
> 
> Please read and review this if you have the opportunity, I've never written a sex scene before and I'm looking for feedback. Many thanks, hope you all enjoy it :)

The following night as Julian approached the Klingon restaurant, he found himself growing nervous. He was like a teenager going on a date for the first time. It was ridiculous! After all, he was an active, reasonably attractive, successful young Starfleet officer. He had everything to offer. Any of the lovely women he had been lucky enough to date would attest to the same. And it wasn’t as if he and Samantha hadn’t spent time alone together, plenty of it actually. But this was different, undeniably so.

He didn’t see her at first, then as a couple waiting to be seated moved, she was revealed. Truly a gorgeous creature, Sam stood before him a study in timeless elegance. Her dress was simple and the color of deep amethyst setting off her fair complexion. The cut left her arms and legs bare and the scooped neckline framed delicate collarbones. Her long mane of dark hair was swept up in a twist showing the long line of her neck.

“Samantha, you…” Julian released a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding, “You’re beautiful.”

Sam smiled shyly up at him, chewing nervously on her lower lip. “And you,” she said, putting a hand on the lapel of his suit jacket, “No uniform?”

Julian chuckled; he’d chosen a crisp white shirt open at the neck and a finely tailored suit in navy blue, he usually reserved it for his favorite Holosuite program. Old fashioned by modern day standards certainly, but he’d dressed with her in mind. “I’ve been told it slows me up.”

“So it does,” she replied, taking his hand and giving it a warm squeeze, “Dinner?”

He brought that hand to his lips in a gallant kiss, “Dinner.”

They sat together for hours, just talking and laughing. The chef had been generous enough to let them stay past closing time as they worked through a bottle of bloodwine.

“How did you know?” Sam asked, taking a swallow of wine, “About the peanut butter? I don’t recall ever mentioning it.”

Julian looked a bit sheepish, “Actually, Miles told me.”

She arched a brow, “The subject came up while you were trying to save the Alamo?” 

“Not quite. When you first came to the station, I wanted to know more about you,” Julian admitted, “I knew you had been on the Enterprise during his time there. He said that you spent hours with him in Engineering, asked a million questions. He said you became quite obsessed with programming replicators.”

Sam shook her head at the memory, “I tried everything to program peanut butter into that replicator. It never came out right. No one on the Enterprise even knew what I was talking about.”

“It’s a bit more obscure than it was in the 20th century,” Julian offered.

“Tell me about it. I mean, when I was first starting out, holed up in my lab it was all I lived on. Peanut butter and jelly. Brainfood.”

Julian tilted his head in curiosity, “You ate it with jelly.”

“Oh my god,” Sam muttered, refilling both wine glasses. “Yes, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. One of the most perfect flavor combinations in the universe.”

Seeing no recognition on the doctor’s face, she sighed, “The future can be a very humbling place.”

It was so perfectly natural, as they strolled aimlessly around the upper deck of the Promenade. “Your dress is lovely, but it won’t do much to ward off the chill,” he said as he draped his suit jacket over her shoulders. “Space stations are known to be a bit drafty.”

“Star ships too. And shuttles. And science labs,” Sam snuggled into the still warm jacket, “A hazard of life in space, I’m always freezing.”

They paused to observe the wormhole open, painting the black of space with dazzling shades of violet and blue. Julian wrapped his arm around her, pleased when she accepted his offer of additional warmth and rested her head on his shoulder. “You know, I have a theory that humans have slowly evolved to better withstand the physical difficultly of space travel. Variations of body temperature, cellular decay, eyesight, hearing and so forth have led to heartier stock.”

“Are you saying that you, as a 24th century man, are more physically able to work and live in space than I am?”

“Well you are quite delicate,” he replied, his voice dipping low as his fingers brushed the nape of her neck, causing goosebumps to rise on her skin. “And, being born in 1973 does make you 368 years older than me.”

“Nice to know you’ve done the math,” Sam replied dryly.

“As it happens, I like older women,” Julian teased.

“Older women?” she repeated incredulously. 

Julian grinned, dimples flashing, “Did you know that your cheeks flush the most delightful shade of pink when you’re riled?”

Oh, he is a handsome devil. Sam thought, grinning back. I’m surely not the first woman to fall under the spell of Doctor Julian Bashir. When his lips found hers, she melted, tingling all the way down to her toes. She hummed with pleasure and wrapped her arms up around his neck. 

It was all so blissfully normal. No emergencies or accidents. No shuttle crashes or plasma leaks. For the first time, they were interacting as just a regular couple. And it suited. 

“Here we are,” Julian announced as they stopped in front of the door to Sam’s quarters. 

Sam fidgeted slightly, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, “Thank you, Julian. I had a wonderful time.”

“So did I,” he nodded, looking a bit bashful. After a moment, he cleared his throat, “We should do it again sometime.”

“Yes! I’d like that,” she smiled a bit uncertainly, clasping her hands tightly together.

Julian nodded again and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek, “Well, good night then.”

“You’re not leaving?” she asked, astonishment in her voice.

“I, ah, thought it might be best,” he replied, studying her with patient eyes, “You seem a little nervous.”

“I am not!” she immediately protested, “Of course I’m not nervous. I mean that’s just ridiculous! You and I have spent lots of time together, alone time together and there is absolutely no reason that I would be nervous. No reason at all.”

“Samantha?” Julian interrupted.

“Well, maybe I am, just a bit,” she carried on, “I mean it’s to be expected isn’t it? I’m only human after all, it’s a perfectly normal response.”

“Samantha,” he tried again.

“And don’t you try to tell me that you’re not similarly afflicted,” she said, waging a finger at him, “Mr. I-Can-Regulate-My-Own-Heartrate, because that is just…”

“Samantha!” Julian chuckled slightly, then grasped her shoulders hoping to calm her tirade. “Sweetheart, I don’t want to pressure you. There is no need to rush.”

“Rush?” she repeated incredulously, “Julian, we’ve been headed here for nearly a year.” Sudden wave of uncertainty washed over her, “Do you not want to?”

Julian saw the flicker of rejection in her gaze. Do you not want me? That was what she was really asking. He quickly worked to reassure her, “I have never wanted anyone the way I want you.”

His rich, baritone voice sent a shiver down Sam’s spine and she found herself suddenly emboldened by his declaration. She looked up into Julian’s velvet brown eyes and saw desire warring with chivalry. Any nervousness she had melted away and she smiled up at him, mischief glittering in her eyes. 

She took a step towards him, “I have an idea.”

“Oh?"

Her smile turned seductive as her palms ran slowly up his chest, her fingers drumming, “Why don’t you kiss me, and we’ll see if my… nervousness resolves itself?”

Julian relaxed and tilted his head playfully, “Do you think that will work?”

She shrugged, “Oh, I’m willing to try.”

Julian angled his head down to meet hers and claimed her mouth in a kiss that was far from chivalrous. His hands slid around her, pulled her close so that her body was molded against his. Her lips willingly complied to his unspoken request and parted on a sigh. Julian’s tongue swept in to mate with hers and unlocked the yearning that had been building within them both since that fateful day in the Holosuite. Sam’s hands gripped the lapels of Julian’s jacket, desperate to keep her balance as the doctor assaulted her senses. He was working his way down the column of her neck, his lips blazing a trail of hot kisses to the hollow of her throat. 

Sam desperately felt along the doorframe behind her while she still had some of her mind and the will to use it. If she didn’t pull this man into her quarters in the next thirty seconds, they were going to end up having sex in the hallway, and at this point she was sorely tempted. At last, her fingers found the access button and door slid open. They pulled each other inside the softly lit room, their hands and mouths never stopped in their exploration. Julian removed his jacket from her shoulders as they found their way to the sofa, and then suddenly he paused, his dark eyes roved over her face as if he were trying to commit every detail to memory.

Sam looked up at him questioningly and before she could ask him why he stopped, he reached up and slowly slid the long, carved clip from her hair, causing her long tresses to tumble over her shoulders and fall past her breasts. 

“Glorious.” Julian smiled softly, running his fingers through the brunette waves, “I’ve been wanting to do that all night.”

Sam reached up to trace his jaw, brushing her fingers over his lips, “You’re a romantic.”

He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to the pulse point of her wrist, causing her breath to catch, “Is that alright?”

She nodded. Sam had never been romanced before, never truly seduced. Most of her sexual encounters, limited though they were, consisted of flash and fire, burning hot and over quickly. Almost more of a stress release. Not that she or her partners complained of course, there was little time for anything else. Julian was almost leisurely, exploring her as if she were the most fascinating creature in the universe. His hands were everywhere, sliding up the line of her leg, venturing past the hem of her dress all the way up to where her panty line crossed her hip. And he was kissing her again, his mouth warm and firm over hers, teasing a moan from the back of her throat.

Julian indulged every fantasy, every curiosity he had. She was like silk in his arms, fluid and sleek. Impossibly smooth, her legs seemed to go on forever. Long and graceful, the toned muscles flexed slightly at his touch. Runner’s legs, he thought with a grin, there was such beauty to be found in that strength. When his fingers found her hip, she gasped and his pulse jumped in response. His trousers tightened and it was all he could do not to take her right then and there. But he refused to give in to it, he wanted to savor this night. He wanted to see her as undone as he was, to bring her to the brink of oblivion, to look into her eyes as they crashed over that peak together. His long fingers pushed past the swath of lace that covered her center and glided up inside the velvety folds. Finding her already warm and wet, he slowly began to stroke. 

Sam’s head fell back, and her eyes slid shut in sweet agony. Her breathing became ragged as her body responded to his intimate touch, “Oh… Julian.”

Julian could feel her tighten around his roving fingers with each pass. His thumb found her clitoris and he teased it gently. He watched in wonder as her eyes clouded with pleasure. She reached for him then, bringing him down so that his mouth was on hers. His body covered hers and she reveled in the feeling of his weight, his undeniable masculinity pinning her to the sofa. 

He turned his attention to her neck, kissing as he descended to the swell of her bust. His hands came up to rest on her ribcage, his thumbs grazed the underside of her breasts through the fabric of her dress. 

Dear God, this man has brought me to my knees and I’m not even naked! Sam thought, once she was able to form a thought, that is. I’d best return the favor, its only fair. She raked her fingers through his thick hair, kissing him along his jaw and at the sensitive junction just below his ear. She nibbled slightly, gliding her hands down his neck to his broad shoulders. She could feel the heat radiating through his shirt, feel the corded muscles play beneath her fingertips. When she shifted her hips, she felt the bulge in his pants as she brushed against him and they locked eyes at the contact. Her emerald green gaze darkened as she embraced that ancient feminine power that all women wield. She kissed him passionately as her right hand found its prize and stroked his erection thought the fabric. 

It was Julian’s turn to groan; he buried his face against her neck. “Oh God! God, Sam…. Don’t stop.”

Sam found his ear and whispered, “Bed… now.”

The ease at which he plucked her off the sofa and carried her to the bedroom was frankly a shock. And a thrill. Julian Bashir was an impressive athlete who took his physique seriously, but he didn’t have a great bulk of muscle. His disciplined form was one of a swimmer, long and lean. Apparently, that form disguised an impressive strength. She was held firmly in his arms, weighing nothing as he strode to the bedroom. He gently laid Sam down on the bed as if she were the most fragile, precious gift. He paused, studying at her for a long moment. The heat of his gaze seemed to scorch as her skin flushed. Sam sat up and holding his smoldering eyes with her own as she slowly undid the buttons of his white shirt, slid it down onto the floor and revealed his torso. Her fingers skated over the well-defined muscles, the taut, tanned skin. She placed a hot kiss on his stomach, just above where his trousers hung low on his hips. When he let out a hiss, she grinned wickedly up at him, grabbed hold of his belt and pulled him down on the bed with her. 

Julian was flat on his back, somehow she’d managed to turn the tables on him. He shouldn’t be surprised, Samantha MacKade always seemed to manage that little trick. He was too much in heaven to wonder how. She straddled him as he lay prone, rotated her hips in a figure eight against his crotch that extracted a moan from his lips. Even still clothed, it was incredibly erotic. In a show of flexibility, she slid down the hidden side zipper of her dress, drew it up over her head, and tossed it to the ground. She is a goddess, Julian thought as he gazed up at her, clad now only in a lacy, black bra that barely contained her breasts and matching knickers. 

When she reached back to unhook it, he shook his head, “Let me.” He shifted, sitting up so he could reach behind her back and rid her of her lingerie. Pale and perfect, her full breasts filled his hands, she shuddered when he traced a hardened nipple with his thumb. 

Julian locked eyes with her, catching the mix of vulnerability and raw desire. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?”

In one fluid motion, he laid her down, kissing her all the while whispering sweet nothings, “Exquisite.” He traced a path down her neck, between her breasts, “Gorgeous.” He caught one nipple in his mouth and tortured it, causing her to arch her back, “Sublime.”

When he finally reached her hips and eased the knickers off, he sat back on his heels and stared. The beauty of her lines, her curves and concaves, took his breath away. “You humble me.”

“Take me,” Sam rasped, undoing his belt and trousers, ridding him of that final barrier. “Take me now.”

Unable to bear it any longer, urgency took them over, and they gave in. Kissing every square inch of exposed skin, tasting and savoring each other. Hands caressing, fingers exploring. Breath hitched and caught as they tumbled together, writhing on the sheets. 

Julian kissed her passionately on the mouth, as his penis grazed the entrance to her body. “Samantha,” he breathed into her ear.

“I love the way you say my name,” she confessed, her abdominal muscles tightening in anticipation. 

“Samantha,” he said again, rubbing but not penetrating. 

“It’s the accent,” she nipped at his bottom lip, “Very sexy.”

“Oh, sweet Samantha,” he obliged her, grinning as he plunged into her tight sheath.

Julian filled her completely and time stopped. She was unable to speak, barely able to breathe. Glorious sensations washed over her body and caused her brain to go hazy. Julian stayed in that position, pinning her to the mattress for a moment then began to move in long, slow strokes. He expertly maneuvered his hips to reach those secret places within her. Sam dug her fingers into his back, reveled in the pleasure that was building within her, “Oh… oh, yes! Oh Julian…”

“Sweet God above, she’s tight,” Julian thought has he increased his rhythm. She angled her hips to take him more deeply and moved with him, matching him stroke for stroke. When he felt her tiny tremors begin, he quickened his pace even more. He let go of his precious control, went racing towards sweet release. Faster and faster they rode together towards a climax that shattered them both.


End file.
